Poconos Pt. 2 (Skiing and Split Rock)

If skiing were on everyone's bucket list, no one would leave this earth discontent. After all, if you go skiing for the first time, you're really not far from kicking the bucket, haha! There's this certain high you get from flying high up and, instead of landing on your feet, you slide even more all the way down. You pick up speed along the way and, once you attempt to halt abruptly, you find yourself accelerating and before you know it, you've got gymnasts beat with your tumbling and splitting.

I have to say it takes guts and bruises, or if you're unlucky- a broken knee, to learn how to ski. Also, it must be gradual. You don't expect to learn if you start with the most deadly trail; more often than not, you'll just end up head first. Having said that, you also have to keep your momentum by challenging yourself sooner than you can.

One great thing about Poconos is that it has several "adventures" corresponding to different levels of difficulty. You can start taking lessons in the morning and, at the end of the day, you will have conquered the steepest slope. If you get bored, there's always snowboarding or sledding.

So why should skiing merit a spot on your things to do before I die? It is fun because you know you're gonna die but you still end up alive. No seriously, there are no words that can justify the feeling you get. Just get out and do it!

Tip for the Indio: Poconos is a range of mountains. If you're from Penn, you'll most likely prefer Big Boulders (by proximity). Also, if you intend to spend a night or two, Split Rock is highly recommended: luxurious rooms, copious food, friendly hosts and a whole lot of amenities plus shuttle services to the ski sites.